


Bitter

by lostin_space



Series: On Earth [5]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Jesse Manes is His Own Warning, Light Angst, M/M, Panic Attacks, he's only mentioned but still, mentions of the shed scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29953635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: Alex felt like he was trapped in an alternate universe.He’d had food with Michael before and definitely had eyed the Antarian section at the grocery store, but he’d never eaten it before. Not only was he eating it, though, he was sitting at the table with another Antarian family‒the Evans. They weren’t staring at him, he didn’t think, but it sure as hell felt like it.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: On Earth [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1520642
Comments: 10
Kudos: 65





	Bitter

**Author's Note:**

> if i missed any tags, let me know

Alex felt like he was trapped in an alternate universe.

He’d had food with Michael before and definitely had eyed the Antarian section at the grocery store, but he’d never  _ eaten  _ it before. Not only was he eating it, though, he was sitting at the table with another Antarian family‒the Evans. They weren’t staring at him, he didn’t think, but it sure as hell felt like it.

“Hey,” Alex whispered, leaning into Michael as inconspicuously as possible. He hummed and leaned into him as well to show he was listening all while using what looked like a rectangle palette knife to shovel an amount of what  _ looked  _ like tiny rice covered in some weirdly thick, beige-colored sauce into his mouth. “What is this stuff?”

“It’s called _cluivaxo,”_ Michael said, accent perfect. Alex had been living in the Guerin home for a week and a half so far and he’d already learned more about Antarians than he had just by dating one. He didn’t even realize what he didn’t know. Michael’s parents spoke in Antarian half the time, usually when they were speaking to themselves or only each other, and Michael apparently was fluent even though Alex had never heard him speak it before. “It’s kinda like a grain, think like a mix between quinoa and rice tasting but a little more bitter. The sauce is, um, kinda like a water base with mashed _iocua_ and _ziocua._ I can’t think of an Earth counterpart, honestly. It’s good, try it.”

Alex nodded, racking his brain trying to pinpoint what the hell those even were. He had taken an agriculture class, but they didn’t really touch much on Antarian produce. And that was just assuming it was fucking produce at all.

Hesitantly, Alex took the palette knife-looking thing and got a bit of the  _ cluivaxo  _ onto it before raising it to his mouth. All of them  _ were  _ staring this time, waiting for his reaction. It was bitter, but the sauce was weirdly spicy and sweet at the same time which just juxtaposed all of it in a really weird way. It wasn’t  _ bad,  _ but he’d never had anything like it before and he couldn’t help but make a face.

“Oh, come on,” Michael laughed, “It’s not that bad.”

“It’s a traditional meal,” Louise said. She was Isobel and Max’s mother and she was extremely serious around him in a way that made Alex nervous. Michael’s dad was definitely a force to be reckoned with, but he had made it clear he didn’t hate Alex. She hadn’t quite done that yet and she didn’t even try to whenever she was checking the way Michael’s hand was healing. “The  _ iocua  _ and  _ ziocua  _ were homegrown by a woman a few blocks away. Her mother was on the crash and was the reason we had the means to continue planting them. She’s the reason we’re able to still have these meals.”

“It’s good,” Alex said quickly, “Just different.”

“Mom, chill,” Isobel said.

“I’m chill,” Louise insisted. Alex avoided eye contact and Michael reached beneath the table for his hand.

Alex had never had a problem holding his own before. Admittedly, he was still shaken up by what his father had done. He was waiting for him to show up outside the Guerin residence, waiting for him to do something worse than he’d already done.

He shouldn’t be having a family dinner right now.

Alex ate and let the subject change, let Nora take over talking about whatever with Louise. Ezra and Mr. Evans had a pretty in depth conversation about some political thing that would affect Antarians that Alex was sure he heard of but couldn’t remember specifics. Max and Michael and Isobel spoke. Alex sat quietly. 

And it was fine until Alex was addressed again.

“So, Alex,” Mr. Evans said, “Have you spoken to your father since the incident?”

Alex didn’t mean to drop his utensil, but he did. His heart thudded in his chest, gut-twisting and throat tightening. He didn’t want to talk about his father. He didn’t want to talk about  _ the incident.  _ Michael squeezed his hand tighter.

“ _ Xorocua, _ ” Ezra’s voice said, deep and threatening, “Not now.”

“It’s an honest question. Don’t you want to know? I mean, you’re housing a Manes, Ezra. Are you not waiting for the next shoe to drop?” Xorocua, apparently, asked. Alex’s throat seemed to tighten even more and it took a lot to take a breath. “And what if he is speaking to him? I doubt this would be the first time he had a little spy.”

“A  _ spy?”  _ Ezra shot back, “He’s a  _ child _ .”

“He’s nearly 18, that’s hardly a child.”

“What are you missing about what happened that night?” Ezra said, “And you have no idea what happened before that. He may be named Manes, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve compassion.”

“Compassion is one thing, but shelter? Moving him in? And what happens when Jesse Manes accuses you of kidnapping? What happens when he reports you? Do you  _ really  _ think you’re going to get out of this one?”

“Dad!” Max said and, well, at least he tried.

“This is  _ not  _ the time,” Nora said, her hand going to her husband’s shoulder. Louise did the same to Xorocua, though it seemed to be for a different reason.

Michael didn’t seem to care about any of it as he scooted his chair back and stood up, tugging Alex with him. Attention snapped to them and Michael, beautiful and brave and strong Michael, ignored them. He wrapped his good arm around Alex’s waist and let him lean against him as he brought him outside.

Alex tried to catch his breath and held onto his shirt. Once they sat on the front steps of the porch, he went to clinging to his body. Michael’s good hand went to the back of his head and he held him close. Tears slipped from Alex’s eyes without his consent.

“Shh, I’ve got you,” Michael whispered, gently scratching his scalp, “He’s just a dick.”

“I haven’t talked to him, I swear I haven’t talked to him,” Alex insisted, sniffling as he tried to calm down. When did it switch? When did Alex become the one who needed saving?

Well. He knew when. But  _ fuck. _

“I believe you,” Michael said.

“But he’s gonna try soon, I know he is. I swear I won’t let him down anything to you or your mom or dad. I-I’ll go home if I have to, but‒”

“No, you aren’t, Alex. You’re staying at my house, in my bed with the door open so my mom doesn’t think we’re doing anything scandalous,” Michael said, kissing the top of his head. Alex huffed a laugh, but it didn’t stay. None of the adults had come outside yet, but Alex couldn’t hear them either. The thought that they were talking about him made him a little nauseous.

He stayed against Michael’s shoulder until he could breathe easy again.

“I hate this,” he whispered. Michael paused his petting.

“Hate… what?”

“Hate that I can’t talk about my dad without freaking out. Hate that you’re hurt because of me, hate that I’m mooching off your parents. Hate that I’m constantly looking over my shoulder. Mr. Evans was right, we  _ are  _ just waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Alex said, sniffling. Michael sighed, again combing his fingers through his hair.

“It’ll be fine.”

Alex huffed a laugh, shaking his head. It wouldn’t be fine. It would  _ never  _ be fine.

“And you. You are just… totally  _ fine, _ ” Alex said, raising his head. Michael’s hand slowly slipped from his hair. “ _ How  _ are you so fine? I don’t fucking understand. Why aren’t you as freaked out as I am? You should be  _ more  _ freaked out, you’re the one who got hurt.”

Michael blinked slowly.

“You don’t think I’m freaking out?”

“You’ve been really fucking calm this entire time, yeah.”

“Alex, I can’t go five minutes without touching you or I start getting extremely paranoid. I look over my shoulder constantly. I triple check the locks on my windows. I’m not, like,  _ fine,”  _ Michael said. Alex’s face burned hot and his skin felt prickly all of the sudden, his eyes not meeting Michael’s. “You know me, I’m a wreck on a good day. But… you need me right now, so I can smile and cuddle you because that’s all I can do. And I can take you away when things get scary. You don’t have to be the strong one always.”

“But I  _ should  _ be in this situation,” Alex insisted. Michael shrugged.

“Not necessarily. But, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll be a baby sometimes and make you feed me or defend me from assholes more often,” Michael offered. Alex huffed a laugh, shaking his head.

His gaze went out to the empty streets, to the bright headlights. It was quiet, almost too quiet. They hadn’t seen a car drive by since they came outside. It was silent enough that Alex could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

“You’re my favorite person, Alex,” Michael whispered, “So let me take care of you, okay?”

“Okay.”

Nora and Ezra came outside a few seconds later. Alex and Michael both went to stand, but Ezra sat beside Alex and Nora sat beside Michael. The four of them just stared out to the street on the Evans’ porch steps.

“Alex, no matter what your father decides to do, we will handle it,” Nora said softly, “And Louise and Xoro apologize for being too harsh on you. They don’t know you and they’re just protective of Michael.”

“I understand,” Alex said easily. And he did. If the tables were turned, he probably would feel the same way. “But… I don’t expect you to be put out if my father comes after you.”

“What your father did was extremely wrong and Michael being Antarian doesn’t make it less so. If we need to take it to the police, we will,” Ezra said simply. 

Alex swallowed, his eyes drifting down to Michael’s hand. It was still wrapped up to keep it together. Everyone at school thought it was run over. He still couldn’t feel his pinky and his ring finger. Mr. and Mrs. Evans said it was too early to tell if that was permanent or not.

It  _ was  _ wrong.

“But we didn’t report it then…”

“It doesn’t matter. Besides, you’re almost 18. If you start bringing up what he’s done to you over the years, it’ll be in his best interest to just let you stay with us,” Nora said. She reached over Michael to put her hand on his knee. Tears pricked his eyes all over again. Part of him hated himself for that. He was so weak. “We’ll keep you safe. That’s what adults are supposed to do.”

Alex clenched his jaw to keep his composure, blinking rapidly. Nora gave his knee a squeeze before she stood.

“Michael, come tell Isobel and Max goodbye and thank Mr. and Mrs. Evans for looking at your hand again,” she said. Michael gave a little whine.

“But they were being dicks.”

“Yes, well, adulthood also means knowing who your friends are even if you disagree on something,” Nora said, “Come.”

Michael groaned but stood up, going back inside. That left Alex with Ezra. He knew that just meant they were going to have a  _ talk.  _ Because Ezra was a big fan of  _ talks. _ The more he did it, the less Alex minded. If he talked, it meant Alex understood every single thing he meant.

“I don’t want to say this in front of Michael or Nora, but I think we are both extremely aware of what your father is capable of,” he said, voice low. Alex took a shaky breath and nodded. “So the moment you notice anything, you tell me. I want to prevent anything from happening.”

Alex nodded easily.

“Yes, Sir.”

“ _ Cua _ ,” Ezra responded. Alex blinked and looked at him.

“Huh?”

“ _ Cua.  _ Instead of Sir, it’s  _ Cua,”  _ Ezra said, slowing it down a bit so Alex could internalize the accent and mouth shapes that went with it. He nodded.

“Yes,  _ Cua. _ ”

Ezra huffed a laugh and ruffled his hair.

By the time Alex and Michael ended up in the backseat on the way home, Alex was tired but more content than he’d been in awhile. They were looking out for him, they were welcoming him. 

That was nice.


End file.
